Corals unhappy :(

[inzzane]

40g bowfront, running 2 months.
Test strips show 0 trates, trites, ammonia
ph 8.2, alk is off the chart (high)
temp is 78 +- 1 degree
no test kit for anything else yet
4x 24w T-5's (96w)


tank has 2 clownfish, 1 yellow tang, 1 damsel, 2 shrimp, 2 hermit crabs. Nothing appears to be messing with the corals.

everything appears fine for water, but frogspawn is closing, purple gargonian is dying (yellow one is fine) , and multiple polyps that were fine for over a month ALL closed for the past 4 days. Purple frogspawn? Has lost 1 head out of 3 in 3 days and is closing. Nothing is near each other. I plan on getting a test kit for other items this weekend but am new to the hobby. Any recommendations? It's confusing me. there's no sign of any slime.

 

[markgsu]

I wouldn't use test strips they are inaccurate. I use API which is middle of the road IMO, best IMO are the Elos ones. I have those for Mag, Calc and Alk. I'm also new but I think an ALK that is so high could be part of the problem, anything above 9 could be whats causing it.

 

[hammcd]

also check your flow..i had a mishap where some cheatoh broke loose and clogged my return pump once..all values fine but flow decreased and things started dying

 

[inzzane]

Thanks, Have been giving LFS weekly samples and they always show good results. Used the test strips only this week. Flow is still good, that was my first thought when frogspawn started withdrawing. Will definitely be getting test kit this weekend.

 

[markgsu]

I posted this in another post but since we are on the topic, what is the best test kits out there?

 

[KrisDeitz]

What sucks is most lfs use API to test your water.

 

[inzzane]

Looks like Elos and Salifert are recommended the most here.

 

[gmpolan]

seachem is an ok choice as well...

 

[ralph atl]

amici;633892 wrote: agreed.

+3

 

[gnashty]

For the money and ease of use I like Seachem. I use Elos for CA and MAG

 

[jennm]

Inzzane;633850 wrote: 40g bowfront, running 2 months.
Test strips show 0 trates, trites, ammonia
ph 8.2, alk is off the chart (high)
temp is 78 +- 1 degree
no test kit for anything else yet
4x 24w T-5's (96w)


tank has 2 clownfish, 1 yellow tang, 1 damsel, 2 shrimp, 2 hermit crabs. Nothing appears to be messing with the corals.

everything appears fine for water, but frogspawn is closing, purple gargonian is dying (yellow one is fine) , and multiple polyps that were fine for over a month ALL closed for the past 4 days. Purple frogspawn? Has lost 1 head out of 3 in 3 days and is closing. Nothing is near each other. I plan on getting a test kit for other items this weekend but am new to the hobby. Any recommendations? It's confusing me. there's no sign of any slime.

Immature tank, over-stocked, in my opinion.

At 2 months you should have a clean up crew, maybe a fish or two (no tangs - they grow too large for a 40). If the dying gorgonian is not photosynthetic it's likely starving to death.

What's your specific gravity?

Slow down.... please. For the sake of the creatures you are keeping...

Jenn

 

[sonofdagon]

I agree. About to be one of those expensive lessons in patience. I would wait about four months before you stock the tank.

 

[inzzane]

This weekends tests (before planned 20% water change):
Salinity= 1.024
Ammonia= 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 0
PH= 8.4
KH= 250 ppm
Calcium= 300 ppm (Will be increasing)
Phosphates= .5 ppm

Regarding the livestock, I'm kind of confused about the Slowing Down comments... is this regarding fish or frags? or both? I can always move the tang to a 70g if it becomes/is an issue, but had been informed (by multiple LFS) these should be fine as the fish were small. Was this bad information?
The tank was seeded at start up so it's doing pretty good eco-wise. For stocking, I don't planned on additional fish (Building a reef tank, not a fish tank ) but it would be good to know for another tank later down the road. None of the fish appear to be affected by whatever is closing the polyps.
The only thing added in the past month is frags. Do frags need to be added slower?

The dying gorgonian ("purple plume gorgonian") has been fed micro plankton 2-3 times weekly (although limbs are turning black and breaking off, all the polyps are open). A yellow gorgonian near it is doing great.
Most of the polyps on my zoas have not opened yet, and still unsure why.

 

[inzzane]

Also, Frogspawn and torch coral (Couldn't think of the name in previous post) still closed up as well.